Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Introduction: Diana Gabaldon, Shoes, and Dogs

Hey guys! I’m Madeline Gabe. I’m a senior this year and will be graduating this spring with a degree in Microbiology. I applied to medical school this past fall and have just finished all of my interviews, and I’ll find out in February which schools I’ve gotten into. It’s been such a long process, so I’m glad that it’s almost over, and that i’ll be able to figure out soon where i’m going to go after graduation.

When i’m not obsessing and stressing myself out about medical school though, I like to read. I love fantasy books, and ones that tend to cross genres. I am a giant Harry Potter fan. I reread the series probably once a year or so. I'm trying to convince my mom that it’s absolutely necessary that she funds me a trip to Harry Potter World for graduation (it’s not going well).

A personal photo of my two older sisters,
MacKenzie and Mallorie,and I at the Diana 
Gabaldon book signing. June 2014. 

My favorite author is Diana Gabaldon. She writes the Outlander series. Greatest books you will ever read. Ever. This past summer my sisters and I got to go to a book signing event she held in Dallas. She gave a talk on the series, how she began writing them, how the new tv show of the books became a thing (yes, there is a tv show, and yes, it is the greatest thing to ever happen) and all sorts of other things. We got to meet her and take pictures, and geek out pretty hard. If you haven’t read them, do so immediately. You’re welcome in advance.

If I’m not reading or studying, I am probably online shopping. I have a serious problem. It’s so bad. I have a particular problem with binge buying shoes. I have a collection of close to 50 pairs of shoes, and since Christmas I have bought three new pair. My closet actually looks like the Nordstrom shoe department exploded all over it. Oops.
A personal photo of my dogs, Finn (left)
 and Lacy (right). December 2014.

One last thing… I’m obsessed with my dogs. I’m kind of convinced they are people. They live in Dallas with my sister and her husband, so I don’t get to see them very often during the semester which is ultra depressing because they are the cutest things to ever happen to the world.
I think I've hit the important things, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask! I love to chat, and will probably talk your ear off.

20 comments:

  1. Congrats on finishing the med school application process! I know the pain of going through all of that because I am in the midst of it myself. I am certainly ready to be at the point where you are. Your dogs are so cute! I love their names too. My dogs Maya and Charlie are both back in Memphis and I rarely get to see them as well. It's probably one of the worst parts about going to school in a place far from where you grew up.

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  2. I hope you will get good news from favorite medical school, Madeline! What an exciting new part of your life that will be! And I share your enthusiasm for Diana Gabaldon. I love the way that it's kind of a genre-busting series where it is really hard to say just WHAT those books are... except that they are wonderful to read! I bet she is amazing in person too. And that is so funny about shoe-shopping: I used to be like that about books, but, thank goodness, now there are all these digital libraries of free books online, so I am just BOOKMARKING all the time the books I want to read. But it's like with shoes: you've only got two feet to wear shoes, and two eyes to read books with (or two ears to listen with, since I love audiobooks too). I'll never read all the books I've got bookmarked... but it's still fun bookmarking them. You'll see some of the results of that in the UnTextbook this semester - I hope you will enjoy it!!! :-)

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  3. Wow! First of all, good luck to you on getting into medical school! I hope you keep us posted and let us know which school you end up choosing! (Cause I know you’ll have a long list to choose from.) Also, who doesn’t love Harry Potter? I think we have all wished we would get an invitation to Hogwarts at some point in our lives… Those are some really cool looking dogs and seem like great companions! What type of dogs are they? I can’t wait to get a dog when I graduate.

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  4. Congratulations on being done with your application process! I'm sure it will be nice to finally know where you will be in just a few months! I can't believe you find the time and energy to reread the Harry Potter series so often when I'm sure you spend so much time studying. That is awesome, though. I also love Harry Potter. I haven't read the Outlander books, but I will definitely look into them now. Cute dogs, too! I'm a cat person at heart, but my mom and stepdad have FOUR dogs at home in Texas. Animals are family :)

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  5. That’s really cool that you enjoy Harry Potter. I, for one, have not read the books, but I have seen all of the movies. I have been to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter about three or four times now and it is a lot of fun. You should definitely go, even if it’s just as a graduation present to yourself. I just went over the holidays to go and visit the new part. It was fantastic! Good luck on getting your mom to give in!

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  6. Wow, got to start with Harry Potter (I can’t believe you can find time to re-read it as much as you do). I also love it and have been dying to go to Harry Potter World. I’m a junior, and I am actually pre-pharmacy (yes, much easier than pre-med, but its something I hope to do after graduation). Best of luck on medical school! February is basically here!

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  7. Hello nice to meet you. Med School, well fingers crossed, I hope you get into the school of your choice. I also read a ton, but I have never read the Harry Potter series or the Outlander books, most of my reading is for school, so kudos to you for taking the time to read for fun. I also have a dog that I never get to see, so I am sympathize with you on that issue, dogs are better than cats in my humble opinion. Well good luck on the rest of the semester.

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  8. Hey Madeline!

    I would like to first start off by saying that I love your profile picture. Where was it taken?

    Like you, I really enjoys books. I unfortunately have not fully completed reading the Harry Potter series. I read the first three but could not finish them not because they were bad or anything; I just tend to lose interest pretty fast. Some of my favorite books though are the Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, East of Eden by John Steinbeck, and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Have you read any of these?

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  9. You and me both girl! I love me some good shoes! For som reason they sometimes seem easier to buy than clothes, i got that from my mom! Good luck with med school, I'm sure it will all work out! It's so crazy being seniors and almost being done with undergrad! I hope you have a great rest of the semester!

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  10. Wow! Med school! I hope you get in! That is a wonderfully huge commitment. Can you believe how fast your undergrad has gone? I am a senior too, and I feel like freshman year was just the other day! I also enjoy reading; my entire family is into the Harry Potter books. In fact, my mom's boyfriend's mom has the entire collection of books, dvds, blu-rays, and audiobooks as well as replicas of Snape's wand and the golden snitch.

    Also, your dogs are so adorable! I love dogs and cats.

    Good luck with the semester!

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  11. Madeline: Wow! It sounds like you stay quite busy. It seems hard to believe that you have 50 pairs of shoes, but I think good shoes are certainly a part of life.

    Do you think dogs have souls, and can you speak with them? It's an interesting question. I always tried to get my dog to talk, but she must have been too shy. I'm working on it.

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  12. Hey, Madeline! Congratulations on making it to your last semester of undergrad and that’s so exciting that you’ll hear back from medical schools so soon (if you haven’t already). Also, I love Harry Potter as well, but I haven’t read them in what seems like forever. I’ll have to carve out some time this summer for that. Also, your dogs are super cute.

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  13. Hi Madeline. That is awesome that you read fantasy books! That is my favorite genre. Harry Potter books are cocaine to me, and I can never get enough! I have a potter more account and I got sorted into Ravenclaw. I have not read the outlander books, but I will put it next in my lineup. I am currently reading the Star War Old Republic series, and if you need a new book to read check out Star Wars! Good luck on med school and mostly good luck on your trip to Harry Potter World!!!

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  14. Hi Madeline- I too am a senior graduation in May but instead of medical school, I am applying for graduate school. I can definitely sympathize with you on how stressful the process can be. I am a big fan of fantasy (and sci fi) books as well. I think that a trip to Harry Potter world is a great graduation present. Good luck!

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  15. Hey Madeline! HUGE congratulations on being a senior, girl! What an accomplishment! Don't you just feel like time has flown since you were a freshman? What a weird coincidence - I am a microbiology senior too! Don't you just love being a science major? So much fun. Your collection of shoes must be outrageous! Maybe I'll have to borrow a pair sometime ;) I totally love online shopping too; it's way too addicting. Where's your fave place to shop? Also, your pups. They're adorable. Good luck on the rest of your semester, girl! You'll have to fill us all in on where you get into med school! ;)

    P.S. I'm with you on HP. Harry is my boy.

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  16. Hey Madeline! It is nice to meet! Congrats on graduating soon and good luck with Med School. After reading this I plan on looking up Diana Gabaldon and add her to the list of books I need to read. Have you heard back yet about Med School? You said that you should hear back in February. Also, your dogs are adorable!!! They look like they are great friends.

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  17. Hello Madeline! Good luck on medical school! I've heard everyone freaking out because they extended the MCAT. Hopefully you got that over with before the switch. I applied to dental school last summer and am on my way to Cleveland in July. Oh the world of health professions! I had no idea that Outlander the show stemmed from a book series! My mom is in love with that show. I'll have to buy her the books. Thanks for the suggestion!

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  18. Hey Madeline!

    Dang, medical school is intense! Good luck with all that and congratulations on almost graduating!
    Your love of the Outlander series definitely makes me want to read it. I've got a long list of books that I want to read, but I've put it at the top! I also re-read the Harry Potter series every year! I don't think I'll ever get enough. I'm not sure if you've read it or not, but the Ender's Game series is also fantastic!
    Have a great rest of your semester!

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  19. Hey Madeline,
    I had a friend who graduated with a microbiology degree last spring and he was studying constantly. Hopefully all that studying pays off for you! I really like reading as well but I haven't got to do it as much as I'd like these last few years. Harry Potter is an awesome series. I can remember going to Walmart in my hometown at midnight one summer to wait in line to buy the 5th book. Good luck with the end of the semester!

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  20. Hi Madeline! I actually used to reread the Harry Potter books on a yearly basis too until the final one came out. I have a major problem with goodbyes so after all the conclusions for that one I just couldn't bring myself to pick them up again. I've never heard of the Outlander series though, I'll have to check it out. I do most of my reading over the summer so I'm trying to put together a list of books to work my way though. Congrats on being so close to graduating!

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